Nissan Versa Review

The Nissan Versa is the smallest and most affordable car that the company sells. For the longest time, the Versa was also the cheapest new car on sale in the United States. But does being cheap mean that it’s bad? Should you consider a Versa if you are in the market for a cheap car?

The simple answer is yes. Nissan has a history of building reliable pieces of machinery, and the Versa should serve you for a long time. The 4-cylinder engine isn’t particularly spritely, and the transmission isn’t particularly advanced, but the Versa takes an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach to car engineering. That means you should have many years of enjoyable driving.

Also, unlike some other cheap cars from other manufacturers, you get a decent amount of storage in the Versa. Rear seat room is small, but the trunk is decent. Like many small cars, adults can fit in the rear seats, but they won’t want to be there for extended periods of time.

In terms of optional equipment, you can get an upgraded radio with support for SiriusXM and Bluetooth connectivity. In this day and age, you do want a car with Bluetooth for your phone, since many states have outlawed the use of cellular phones without a headset or hands free system. It’ll also increase the resale down the road.

The Versa drives like a normal car, but it’s nothing to write home about. The power is okay for merging on the freeway, but you might want to give some extra room before you overtake a car on a two-lane road.

But what you lose in power you gain in fuel economy. Mid to upper 30s on the highway should be an easily obtainable MPG number while driving the Versa.

Also, in crash tests the Versa does pretty well considering the size of the car. Sure, there are safer cars, but for the price you’re still getting a good deal.

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Chad Kirchner is the Editor-in-Chief of Future Motoring, along with the main host and producer of the Future Motoring podcast. In addition to his work here, he's a freelance automotive journalist for outlets around the world.